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The Mongolian Adventure

Date: 2004-01-18 12:00 UTC
Location: Beijing, China

Warm at last! (-5'C) What a bliss. To give you some idea of Ulan-Bator, I list a few of my experiences there during my three days stay.

-Took me two days to find an ATM, though I didn't need it then anymore. There are banks and exchange offices every 50 meters.

-No use asking where something is, you'll find it faster yourself by looking around than following the locals' "advice". Mongolian people totally can't read maps, be it a city or a country map. They couldn't even spot Ulan-Bator on a very simple map!

-30'C below zero.. Beijing's mild -5 really feels warm now!

-Crossing a road is playing with your life, which is to say, fun! They do have traffic lights, but often it is safer to try the cross on red lights, 'cause the traffic usually moves slower then.. As a bonus, the roads are covered by clear ice, they don't use any sand or salt here.

-Didn't find a hairbrush after three days of casual search.

And finally, a month since I became a homeless traveller, a Finnish style SAUNA!! The longest time ever that I went without that so precious weekly visit.

I actually got to ride a mongolian horse for two hours!! One of my long-time dreams has come true. Yes, it was a damn cold ride but surrounded by awsome mountains I didn't much notice if I was freezing to death..

A night out with locals, meaning beer and billiard, and I was ready to depart for China. Had to buy a first class train ticket or else wait three more days, so my traveling companions were hotel managers and such. A merry lot, besides! Only one spoke good english, but we had so good a time that the one who didn't speak any english at all wanted me to come to the same hotel he was going to stay in Peijing. The hotel was cheap allright (10+ euros!) but the guy was really beginning to get on my nerves..

So next morning I slipped away and one hours walk saw me at Tian' anmen (Square of Heavenly Peace or something) where I met my present Beijing guide, Xue Hong or Kelly. She tried to sell her student fellows' art, but ended up to show me chinese karaoke. I couldn't have get any tickets out of Peijing before the local new year (22?.1.) if not for her. "Anywhere south of here!" brought a night train tickets to Shangai on 20.1.

I´ve seen the forbidden city but more dumbstruck I was after my first visit to a real chinese restaurant all alone, just a few hours ago. I ordered a medium priced menu of roasted duck and rice. First I got the cooked rice with vegetables, a satisfyable meal by itself. Carefully I started eating slowly, expecting a lot of more food. Right after came a large poortion of ricenoodle soap and after that, the duck with side dishes.. When I was about halfway through it all and ready to explode the cook actually brought me a huge bowl of chicken soap! Had to take a picture of it all, you´ll see.

Okey guys, I'll tell you more about my Chinese adventures when I get to Vietnam. Or somewhere. And fast, I want the southern sun, now!! :-)

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